Portraits of Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Lucas Cranach d.Ä. (1472–1553), Martin Luther als Augustinermönch, Kupferstich, 14,1x9,8cm (3. Zustand), 1520; Bildquelle: © Lutherhaus, Wittenberg (Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt), Inv.-Nr. 4° IV 208, http://www.martinluther.de/de/stiftung.html.

Lucas Cranach d. Ä. (1472–1553), Portrait von Martin Luther (1483–1546), Kupferstich, 16,5x11,5cm, 1520, Bildquelle: Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, Inventarnummer: 14448 D.

The famous portrait of Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1520, which shows a serious and determined monastic theologian (above), was not widely circulated during Luther's lifetime. It apparently seemed politically inopportune to the court in Electoral Saxony given the approaching Reichstag in Worms and was thus censored. For this reason Cranach already replaced the bust portrait in the same year with a more conventional painting showing Luther from the waist up and with a notably more moderate facial expression (below). It was approved for publication by Spalatin.

above: Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), Martin Luther als Augustinermönch, copperplate engraving, 14.1 cm x 9.8 cm (3. Zustand), 1520; source: Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt, http://www.martinluther.de, © Lutherhaus Wittenberg.

below: Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), Portrait of Martin Luther (1483–1546), copperplate engraving, 16.5 cm x 11.5 cm, 1520; source: http://www.sgsm.eu/ © Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München.